The Delhi Police on Friday arrested a person named Mohammed Tariq Aziz for disrespecting the Indian national flag at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Aziz, a resident of Assam, had spread the tricolour on the floor of the airport and offered Namaz by standing on it.
The Police arrested him after he was handed over by personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which manages security at airports across the country. He was later released on bail by the Delhi Police on the same day.
According to the reports, the incident dates back to May 8 when the accused had travelled from Dubai by IndiGo flight 6E24 and had to further go to Dimapur, Nagaland by IndiGo flight 6E 5398. At around 5 pm, he spread the Indian National Flag on the floor between boarding gates 1 and 3 and stood upon it to offer the Islamic prayer namaz. “His activities were found suspicious and undesirable. He had disrespected the national flag”, the Police mentioned in the FIR.
The accused was first spotted by personnel of the CISF who saw Aziz spreading the Indian tricolour on the floor. The personnel informed the concerned authorities who took speedy steps to detain the accused. His custody was later handed over to the Delhi Police. The Delhi Police interrogated the accused and asked him for an explanation for his act but he could not give a satisfactory response.
The Police then seized his passport, a photocopy of his boarding pass, and the tricolor he used as a mat to offer Namaz at the airport. He was arrested and a case was subsequently filed by the Delhi Police under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 is an Act that prohibits the desecration of or insult to the country’s national symbols, including the national flag, national emblem, national anthem, the constitution, and map of India including contempt of Indian constitution.
Reports further mention that after the arrest the accused was released on bail on the same day as it is bailable offence, after giving a notice under CrPC section 41. The notice has been given for an appearance before a police officer and in case the order is not complied with, the police may arrest the person.